Rewritten
by Moondance.17
Summary: It takes but the smallest of changes to rewrite destiny..... Reviews are greatly appreciated So please review
1. The Thief

**_DICLAIMER:_** All Original Characters, Plots, Places, Creatures, Spells, Etc Are the porperty of the BBC. I do not in any way shape or form own them. I merely own My characters, plots, spells, creatures, places etc. =]

1

Snow, it fell as a powder upon the ground, bathing the imperfections in an innocent and virginal white sheet; the delicate flakes were stirred into a flurry by the gentle breeze which danced through the skeletal branches upon the naked birch trees, the many hundred of them which grew in the majestic forests created an ethereal beauty that was only emphasised by the quaint glow from the low afternoon sun. Amidst this sprawling mass of silver and white stood the city of Camelot, the castle looming over the thatched roofs of the common cottages in all its grandeur; the brilliant scarlet flags which fluttered from the turrets were emblazoned with the gold Pendragon royal crest, Uther Pendragon himself stood by his window watching his people go about their day to day chores. The king had the faintest of smiles upon his stern face as he observed the children watching in delight as their snowballs burst into powder upon contact with an unsuspecting victim and he chuckled to himself as he saw the court physician, Gaius, cursing the children whilst brushing the snow from the shoulder of his winter cloak; Uther mused to himself before seeing his own son become part of the picture, the young crown prince sat aloft his noble steed heading in the direction of the city gates to ride into the forest. Arthur Pendragon, Uther's sole heir to the throne and to his kingdom. Uther watched his son canter along the path before disappearing into the cover of the trees, the Pendragon red jacket the prince wore was the last thing his father saw before it too was lost amongst the trunks; Uther could not help but wonder when his son would be mature enough to take on the responsibility of being king, at present Arthur currently lived his life without a care in the world and spent his time hunting and pursuing maids to bed, and with Uther sensing his time on the throne coming to an end he thought of whether or not his son would cope with the duties he would soon have thrust upon his shoulders.

Arthur's hair shone a brilliant gold under the pale sunlight which filtered through the bare trees above him, he was devilishly handsome and he knew it; his fathomless blue eyes drifted lazily over his surroundings as he pushed his horse on through the deep snow, he had a strong jaw and a majestic air radiated from his being, he looked every inch the prince he was. The young crown prince was a skilled hunter, trained in recognising the smallest detectable change in his surroundings – be it sound or sight – which would lead him to his prey; today however he had taken to the forest to clear his head and escape from his princely duties, and it was because he was engrossed in his thoughts that he missed the ghostly figure lurking behind the trunks of the trees either side of the trail. The stranger's white cloak was drawn over their head to fend off the seasonal chill and the train slithered along the snow behind them, the stranger was as fleet as a dear and moved ever so quietly through the trees so that Arthur would have no knowledge of their presence as they watched him from the cover of the trunks. Arthur rode on, blissfully unaware he was under the gaze of this elusive creature, or so he led them to believe; the truth of the matter was that Arthur had known they had been there since the stranger had first begun stalking him for the prince was far too skilled a hunter to completely let his guard down and he had been biding his time until he had the advantage over his follower.

-

Meanwhile, within the sanctuary of the castle, in the darkest and bottom most dungeon something was stirring; chains scraped on the stone walls and an eerie glow radiated from a lone torch belonging to the young warlock Merlin, he stood on a ledge which protruded from the dungeon wall and faced out into an empty cavern, awaiting the prisoner he sought after. Before long there was a tremendous crash followed by a teeth clenching, high pitched screech of metal on rock as heavy iron chains slid down the side of the boulder the prisoner had landed upon and a series of metallic crashes as each link fell upon the cave floor; when Merlin lowered his arm he had used to shield himself from the dirt and pebbles which were kicked up in the process he was faced with a deep burgundy scaled dragon perched upon the very boulder which had been vacated just moments beforehand.

"What is it that you covet young wizard?" The dragon sounded amused as it spoke, as if he knew the answer Merlin was looking for.

Merlin, completely unfazed by the creature, began speaking. "You told Gaius of a girl, a girl who you saved and who you said would govern the fate of Camelot, tell me who she is."

The faintest of smiles played upon the dragon's mouth as he spoke. "Ahh, but I told Gaius that in confidence, tell me, how is it that you come to posses such knowledge of said maiden?"

"I heard Gaius talking…dreaming…and he kept saying the same phrases over and over again. 'The maiden', 'You saved her' and 'You know everything'."

A deep resounding chuckle resonated off the cold, damp walls. "Dear Gaius, he always did believe I knew everything even after I told him otherwise so many times."

"Don't get distracted. Tell me who she is." Merlin interrupted.

"And why should I young warlock? I told one and only one, Gaius. It does not bode well for too many wizards to know too many secrets." With the last comment the great dragon stretched his leathery wings and rose up from his perch, only to disappear into the darkness of his prison, leaving Merlin alone.

"You are insufferable!" Merlin shouted to the darkness, his voice echoing off the walls of the cavern.

Turning on his heel, Merlin threw the cave back into darkness once more before running straight to the chambers he resided in alongside Gaius.

As he burst through the door looking flustered and out of breath, he nearly tripped over the work bench as he sat down; Gaius looked up at him and sighed deeply.

"What have you done now?" The physician looked back to his work and continued grinding herbs using his pestle and mortar.

"I think you should tell me about the maiden whom the Great Dragon saved. The maiden you keep dreaming about." Merlin choked out as he caught his breath.

Gaius paused and looked a Merlin with a bemused expression; however he soon looked back down to his work once more. "That was merely a dream Merlin; it has nothing to it."

"You are a terrible liar. I want to know why the Great Dragon wouldn't tell me who she is, and why you won't tell me." Merlin demanded. "If she holds the fate of Camelot, then she holds Arthur's fate too; and it is my destiny to protect Arthur. I have a right to know."

"Merlin…" Gaius paused as if he were about to say something but decided against it. "…Alright."

Gaius took seat opposite Merlin before composing himself. "When Uther first took to the throne I knew there would be trouble for anyone who was in anyway magically inclined. Twenty-three years into his reign I was unfortunately proven right when Uther sought to imprison the Great Dragon, the carnage that ensued was horrific, man and beast fighting for the right to do as they pleased. Many villages were destroyed in the process and with so much scorched earth left behind it was a wonder that either could claim victory; one of the villages that were destroyed was the village, Gaelyfor, by the great lake east of the woods and it was here that the dragon did something he would never forgive himself for. Having the king as a common enemy united the magical beings and formed an alliance which provided them some protection; however in Gaelyfor there resided a family, the mother was a water nymph – a relative of the woodland elves – who was married to a simple farmer. The dragon had long known the nymph and that is why he could not bare the fact he killed her and her husband when he crashed down upon the pony and trap they were travelling in; as he felt indebted to them he took their daughter – the last survivor of Gaelyfor – and left her in the care of a woman who lived in the forest, she was a peasant who lived off the land, from there onwards the child who was but two years old at the time would be raised as a peasant. She would know nothing of her past and therefore she could not be tried for being a witch or being a magical creature in alliance with the witches and wizards –"

Merlin cut in briefly. "– Wait, is she like me?"

"I highly doubt it. Her mother was but a lake nymph and it would be highly unlikely that any magic whatsoever runs in her daughter's blood. But as I was saying; many years after the great dragon was imprisoned and long after Uther set to purge the magic from the kingdom, the dragon asked me to seek the old woman and young girl who lived in the forest, he asked me to make sure she was alive and well. I did as he asked, I checked upon her and discovered her to be as healthy – if not healthier – a young girl as she could be; however the woman who looked after her had fallen ill so I spent a day tending to her ailment before returning to the dragon and giving him the news he wanted to hear. Afterwards he told me of this girl's past and of her future as the most beautiful woman the kingdom had ever seen, but more importantly he told me of how Arthur would become entranced by her on the eve of his father's anniversary to celebrate forty years on the throne, thus linking to Arthur's fate and the fate of Camelot."

Merlin looked overcome by this information before he finally spoke. "Uther's anniversary is tomorrow."

"We shall have to wait and see if Arthur does indeed meet her today then." Gaius replied simply.

"Just one more thing…what is her name?" Merlin asked.

Gaius smiled as he pictured her face for a moment. "Adriana, the kind maiden of the forest."

-

Arthur reached a glade and dismounted his steed slowly and almost in an exaggerated manner; his sword rested on his hip and leaving his horse to stand he made his way through the snow towards the trees. The stranger who had been following him waited for Arthur to disappear into the denser trees and after a few moments had passed they broke from the cover of the foliage and slowly edged forwards to the lone horse, the animal looked up to see them and watched as they moved closer; the figure slowly reached our their hand with the palm facing upwards and gently crouched down till their knees where touching the snow.

"Shh…easy…" The voice was no louder than a whisper and soothing to the nervous steed.

From the trees the prince watched as his horse cautiously raised his front hoof out of the snow and place it forward as the animal was seduced by the person Arthur presumed to be a thief; still watching Arthur saw his horse gently press his muzzle into the thief's palm and familiarise himself with the new master, the thief – still crouched – rubbed the horses face gently unaware of the fact the prince was slowly making his way closer towards them from an angle that was out of the thief's line of vision. Arthur eventually got close enough and pulled his sword from its holster before pointing the tip in the centre of the thief's back.

"Halt. Stand or I'll run you through."

The thief froze, their hand falling from the horse's face as they felt the blade pressed between their shoulder blades; they slowly begun to stand up as told, al the time cautious of the blade.

"Turn around and lower your cloak." Arthur commanded in his regal tone.

The thief raised their hands to the hem of the cloak and turned around to face Arthur, they then lowered their hood with their head bowed to the ground; Arthur raised his sword from where it was pointed over their heart and used his blade to the thief's chin upwards to face him before he allowed it to rest over her throat.

"Who...who are you?"

Arthur may have asked the question but it was a subconscious action that he was unaware of as he was taken aback by her startling beauty. The girl was younger than him: her long raven air cascaded down her back is waves and a plait was twisted over her head, leaving a few tendrils to play delicately beside her oval face; her skin was an unusual colour to that of which Arthur was accustomed to seeing, a glowing golden brown that was by far lighter than Gwenevere's and contrasted delicately against the white cloak she wore; by far the most stunning aspect of her appearance were her vibrant apatite blue eyes which were complimented by the silver pendant she wore around her slender neck, from it hung a small blue topaz crescent moon.

"My name is Adriana." The girl replied as she looked up to him; she was a few inches shorter than him and her eyelevel was roughly where his nose was, she was tall and statuesque Arthur noted.

"Adriana of where?" Arthur asked as his eyes still wondered up and down.

Adriana raised an elegant brow and looked around her. "Adriana of the forest."

"Of the forest? Adriana of the forest?" Arthur looked sceptical. "Well 'Adriana of the forest', do you know whose horse you were about to steal?"

"I beg your pardon? I was not stealing your horse!" Adriana retorted. "All I know is your horse is lame."

"My horse is not lame." Arthur argued. "You will have to find a better excuse than that."

"Your horse is lame in its hind left leg; you would have to be a fool not to have seen that." Adriana replied adamantly. "And who are you to go around pointing your sword at innocent people and accusing them of stealing? The king?"

"As a matter of fact I am his son, and you owe me an apology for calling me a fool." Arthur drew himself up to his full height.

"That just makes you a royal fool, that horse is lame…" Adriana paused for a moment. "…Sire."

Arthur glanced over her shoulder to his horse to see his reliable steed was indeed lame, however not one to be proven wrong Arthur pretended he did not see. "I could have your throat slit for speaking to me in that manner."

Adriana smiled politely. "And yet we are still talking…sire."

Arthur was amazed by the young woman before him, she was intelligent with tremendous audacity when faced with the crown prince; but most of all he had never before seen someone so captivating in appearance. For all the reasons above and for the simple fact she had argued every last word out of him, Arthur lowered his sword and holstered it again;

"For someone so beautiful, you are extremely stubborn." Arthur commented.

"For someone who spends his life around horses, you don't appear to know much about them. And also for someone who spends his time with the Lady Morgana, I would hardly say you can call me beautiful."

"Arthur!" A third voice interrupted the scene; Merlin emerged from the trees and nearly fell over a hidden root in the process before stopping dead in his tracks and looking at the unfamiliar woman.

Arthur rued the day he allowed Merlin to become his manservant, true he got the work done – albeit at the very last minute – and yes he did serve as a good companion, but his lack of timing and tact was enough for Arthur to have him put in the stocks. The prince made a mental note to do just that when they returned to Camelot.

"Merlin! Can't you see I am talking?" Arthur growled.

"Sorry but the king ordered that you return to the palace immediately." Merlin spoke hurriedly. "You need to be fitted for your tunic for tomorrow's banquet."

"Yes. I know." Arthur said through gritted teeth as if he were a child that had just been reprimanded; he turned back to Adriana. "Goodbye Adriana…of the forest."

"Adriana?" Merlin exclaimed suddenly.

"Yes?" Adriana replied. "Have we met?"

Merlin blushed profusely and stammered for a moment – she really was as beautiful as the Great Dragon had foretold – before he found the words. "Umm no, but you know Gaius. And well, I know Gaius, and he mentioned you and yes sorry I just heard your name and thought out loud."

"Gaius?" Adriana broke into a spellbinding smile. "The physician?"

"You know the court physician?" Arthur interrupted suddenly.

"He tended to my aunt when she was gravely ill many years ago." Adrianna informed them. "I would very much like to meet him again."

"Then you shall come to the castle with us." Arthur said suddenly.

Still remembering what Gaius had told him about the fates of Arthur and Camelot, Merlin was hesitant about this woman; what would she bring upon them?

Merlin observed the girl, he took in her overall appearance and watched how she interacted with the prince; he did not seem besotted with her but maybe that was a good thing, for the last time Arthur had become infatuate with a woman was when he was under an enchantment, and Merlin did not really want to jump in any lakes at this time of year to save him.

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice suddenly flooded Merlin's ears and he came to again. "Could you try and stay focussed for one minute?"

Adriana watched Arthur reprimand his manservant and she felt sorry for Merlin that he had to be bullied by this arrogant prince, she could understand that he was royalty but that did not give him the right to act like a pompous child; she had not known him long but she did not think she was going to like Arthur, yes he was attractive in an obvious way but he did not seem to have much else to offer apart from brute strength and a handsome face.


	2. Beyond the Walls

2

The sun stained the mid-afternoon sky with cerise and bronze hues, it hung low and was barely visible above the horizon as it cast a beautiful golden light over the white blanket of snow; in the far distance beyond the city of Camelot were beautiful rolling mountain ranges that were capped with snow, the sun was beginning to set between the peaks and they dazzled with iridescence of thousands upon thousands of diamonds. Silhouetted against the golden orb was the darkened shapes of three figures; one very broad shouldered and muscular, one tall and willowy, and the final figure was smaller than the other two with a petite feminine form. Uther Pendragon recognised his son and his incompetent servant immediately; however the third figure he did not know. It was only as they stepped into the light of the torches that lit the gates he saw a young woman bathed in quaint amber light, her delicate features illuminated in an almost ethereal manner; copper pigments were highlighted in her long raven hair and her tanned skin radiated a warm glow.

This was no mere chamber maid that his son had found to bed; she was clearly a woman of nobility and Uther was taken aback, not only due to her features, but – as far as he knew – they were not expecting royal guests. The king watched as Arthur's manservant led the prince's horse away to the stables – one of the few useful tasks he has completed all day, the king mused – and his eyes followed Arthur and the anonymous stranger as the gates closed behind them.

---

Adriana's eyes widened as she stepped inside the city walls; the castle loomed over the small houses and the menacing faces of the gargoyles bore down upon her as she wandered beside Arthur and Merlin. He had insisted she ride his horse, however she had insisted that she walk; she had refused to ride a horse that was lame, and in the end her perseverance won and Arthur walked beside her, leaving Merlin to lead the horse.

The young girl from the forest had never before been to a place that had so many inhabitants, each and everyone pausing for a fleeting moment to take in her appearance and some whispering to each other about why she was with the crown prince; she was oblivious to all of this as her attention was gripped by each sight, smell and sound.

Children ran from house to house, their innocence of youth shining in all of its glory as they played among the adults who were still busy running day-to-day errands for their masters and mistresses. The markets were set away from the main street and courtyard, they however looked far more appealing to explore than the walkways and arches of the royal abode; Adriana glanced to the prince and saw he was preoccupied talking to a knight, seizing her opportunity she slipped away down a narrow side street. Falling through a selection of brightly coloured sheets she entered the heart of the market, dragging her feet through the snow she quickly immersed herself in the heavy throng of people making their way up and down the street; her eyes danced with delight as she took in her surroundings. The ground here was blanketed with snow also; the market vendors clothed in numerous layers of fleece clothing to fend off the chill that blew through the houses, with their noses red and their breath fogging with each exhalation they carried about their day to day chores. Smoke rose from a water bucket as a blacksmith doused the freshly moulded hot sword before beating off any imperfections and holding it up to the light, it glinted innocently for a weapon designed to kill and Adriana tore her attention away to see a stall that had assortments of baskets, pots, and cutlery that had been crafted skilfully. It was only when the smell of freshly baked bread danced along the breeze did her nose perk up and led her in the direction of a baker.

A young woman was placing a tantalising selection of rolls and loaves into a basket before handing the older woman behind the stall the correct money, Adriana stepped forward and inhaled deeply.

"Can I get you anything milady?" The older woman smiled warmly as she saw Adriana gazing longingly at her dough's and pastries.

Adriana did not immediately recognise that the woman was addressing her and looked surprised for a moment. "Me?" She asked and the woman nodded. "Oh I'm not a lady...and I'm afraid I have no money, if I did I would love to buy your food."

The younger woman was inquisitive. "What is your name if you pardon me asking?"

"My name is Adriana." She smiled.

"I am Guinevere, however everyone calls me Gwen...if you need money then I'm sure you could find work at the castle." The younger woman replied.

Adriana smiled appreciatively. "Thank you for your offer, but I'm afraid my stay will be but a short one for I am merely visiting an old friend. He too works at the castle, do you know of him? Gaius... he is the court physician?"

Gwen smiled openly. "Of course, he is a close friend also. I am on my way back to the castle now if you would like me to take you to him?"

It was at this statement that Adriana was reminded of her royal escort. "Oh...thank you, however I think I am obliged to find my previous guide. I was travelling with Merlin and Prince Arthur."

"Oh, no problem at all, should you need any help in the future I will be in the castle. Goodbye Adriana." She smiled and waved as she left and Adriana turned to head back in the direction she had came when she found herself being abruptly stopped by a solid object.

She had wheeled herself round and walked headlong into the chest of the crown prince himself; stumbling backwards she tripped on the hem of her cloak and lost her footing on the icy ground. She had already braced herself for the wet landing in the snow, but before she hit the ground a pair of strong hands shot out and grabbed her forearms to stop her falling. Adriana saw Arthur had a smirk on his face as he pulled her upright with tremendous ease; however his boyish grin masked obvious annoyance and embarrassment at being left to walk alone.

"Now I don't know how you do things in your home village of...the forest. But here, when you are invited to accompany the crown prince, you do not generally tend to walk off leaving him talking to himself." He raised an eyebrow as he looked down upon her, realising he still had hold of her arms. He quickly released her looking sheepish.

"And why not exactly...I did not embarrass you did I?" She mimicked his actions and raised a delicate eyebrow in question.

Arthur scoffed. "Of course not...you just clearly have no knowledge of common courtesy."

Adriana's jaw fell. "Oh and I suppose you – a royal fool – does?"

The prince staggered slightly. "And clearly you have no respect for royalty either."

"When said royal has earned my respect, then he shall have it..." Adriana smirked. "...Sire."

Arthur made a motion as if he were about to speak but decided against it, he merely looked her up and down before shaking his head. "I will take you to Gaius myself. Come on."

"Thank you...Sire." Adriana smiled graciously.

"Seeing as you use that word with such disdain you might just as well call me Arthur." Arthur replied as they walked towards the main courtyard once more.

Adriana glanced sideways at him with a delicate smile which was more accepting and nodded in response to show her understanding. "Well come on then...take me on this scenic tour of Camelot." She burst into a vibrant smile as she indicated for him to lead the way.

Arthur looked at the woman stood before him...never had he met someone so beautiful, boisterous, and charming but stubborn...all rolled into one package.


	3. Old Friends

3

An amalgam of strange scents filled Gaius's chambers; sunlight streamed in through the windows, hitting the different coloured bottles of weird and wonderful concoctions before sending colours dancing across the walls. He worked away steadily and undisturbed by the gentle hustle and bustle in the court square as decoration went up for the impending celebrations.

Several loud knocks echoed throughout the stone chamber before the door opened and the crown prince stood in the doorway.

"Sire..." Gaius gave a shallow bow, all his age would allow him. "Is there anything wrong?"

"I have a visitor for you..." Arthur stepped to one side to reveal his guest. There – bathed in golden light – was the same young girl the physician had met all those years ago. Although she had aged, time had been kind to her and she was more beautiful than ever.

"Adriana...is that you? Or do my wizened eyes deceive me?" He took a few steps forward but he did not need to take many as she crossed the distance between them in three regal strides before throwing her arms around him.

"Gaius! It is me!" She breathed with an ecstatic smile upon her face. "It has been so long..."

"Time has done nothing but enhance your beauty...I'm afraid it has not been so kind to me." Gaius smiled in a fatherly manner.

A visible blush flared beneath her olive skin, lighting her cheeks with a rosy glow. "Gaius...you tend daily to the Lady Morgana, and you still have the cheek to call me beautiful." She mumbled.

"As modest as ever I see, but I do beg to differ. You cannot imagine the countless number of knights, farmers, and other men who have come to me seeking treatment for hallucinations of a beautiful woman who wanders the forests." Gaius noted Merlin still fixated with the young woman's appearance.

"Ah but I'll fight them off with as much ferocity as any knight." She grinned happily.

"How is your aunt?" Gaius asked curiously. "Is she still in good health?"

Adriana's smile faltered and her eyes saddened. "She...she passed away just winter. I have been on my own since."

"Oh dear girl, I am very sorry to hear this news."

"She died happy, with a smile on her face. She gave me this necklace as a reminder of my mother before she died." Adriana fingered the pendant around her neck, the crescent moon shaped blue gem shimmering innocently in the quarter light.

_Merlin..._ A deep voice echoed within the walls of the castle and Merlin snapped to attention from where he had been staring at Adriana; he knew exactly who the voice belonged to, however no one else in the room even batted an eyelid and they continued talking but it was all noise to him. _Merlin...the hands of fate work in mysterious ways, I warn you...you should not always listen to Gaius's account of stories._

Once again Merlin's eyes fell upon Adriana, and to the pendant around her neck. Gaius had said that her mother was a lake nymph and it was highly unlikely that any magic ran in Adriana's veins, but he listened to the dragon's warning all the same. What if magic did run in her veins after all?

"Merlin! Will you wake up?!" Arthur's deep voice flooded his ears and brought him out of his trance.

"Sorry! I was just...daydreaming." Merlin hastily replied.

Arthur snorted. "I can see that. Now that you're not daydreaming perhaps you would like to prepare a room for Adriana to stay in."

"Sorry, of course sire." Merlin began to move but Adriana's voice stopped him.

"It's alright Merlin, I would rather you did not go to all that trouble for me. I was planning on heading back to the forest this evening anyway." Adriana smiled gently, a smile that would have made even the strongest of men weak at the knees.

"Don't be ridiculous..." Arthur interjected. Adriana turned to him, eye brow raised in question. "The lower town isn't safe after dark, and there are bandits who prey on the weak in the forests."

"Weak?" Adriana chortled. "It's funny because, you would think that after having spent nine and ten years of my life living in the forest and the last year on my own that I would know of bandits, bad men and fiends who lurk in the shadows."

"I wasn't implying that you were weak..." Arthur defended. "I was merely pointing out it would be smarter for you to stay here."

"If you request my audience sire, all you have to do...is ask..." Adriana smirked.

Arthur frowned. He was not used to not being in control of a situation. It should be her chasing him, not the other way round; the situation was not going his way and he did not like it. "If you want to stay, by all means stay. If you want to go, then go." He replied simply.

"Adriana, if I may sire? I would really prefer if you would at least stay this night." It was Gaius who provided the mature answer to the squabbling teenagers.

"Of course I'll stay Gaius, if you want me to?" Adriana softened quickly.

Gaius nodded. "Thank you, Merlin will be happy to lend you his room for the night...won't you Merlin?"

Merlin who had been stood examining Adriana from the doorway now had every eye turned upon him. "Oh...of course...yes...sure...delighted to..."

Adriana paused for a moment. "Alright, I will stay..."

Arthur rolled his eyes dramatically and let out a long breath. "Oh sure, you're perfectly obliged to his solution."

Adriana turned back to him with a stubborn look upon her face. "He asked politely..." She replied bluntly. "...Or do you not get taught 'please' and 'thank you'...sire."

"Thank you for a lovely conversation as ever Adriana, I will see you in the morning...good evening." Arthur huffed as he left the room, the sound of his footsteps only interrupted by a last shout back to the room. "Merlin!"

Merlin unglued himself and practically fell out the door after his master. "Coming sire!"


	4. Suspicions

4

As night descended upon Camelot, the lights of the city began to extinguish as its inhabitants tucked themselves into bed. A few amber glows still radiated from the windows, flickering as the candles which created them were caught upon a breeze; one illuminated room belonged to the crown prince himself. He lay with his arms behind his head, staring blankly at the canopy overhead for answers to his mind's questions. His eyes were glazed over and he was oblivious to any outside distraction, until a loud clang resonated inside the stone room.  
"Merlin!" Arthur barked without moving from his position. "It would be nice to a quiet night's sleep without you destroying the place."  
"Sorry sire." Merlin responded absently.  
He too had been trying to solve unanswered questions and had knocked over an empty goblet of water as he tidied the prince's clothes. Arthur watched him from the corner of his eye and recognised the vacant look upon his face, his eyes looking but not seeing as he moved about the room.  
Arthur let out a long sigh. "What is it Merlin?" He asked tiredly.  
Merlin listened but did not hear what the prince was saying. "Nothing sire..." He answered in the same distracted tone.  
Arthur picked up a spare pillow and hurled it across the room with ease, it made contact with the target and Merlin jolted before rubbing the back of his neck. "What was that for?" He exclaimed, finally coming to.  
"What are you thinking about which has got you so distracted?" Arthur repeated.  
Merlin looked at him wide eyed for a moment before shaking his head. "It's nothing...honestly."  
"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain raven haired maiden would it?" Arthur said meaningfully. Merlin knew that this was in fact true, but also it was what Arthur was racking his brain over. Before he had a chance to reply, Arthur was carrying on, so Merlin let him whilst he returned the pillow to the prince's bed. "I mean, yes she's beautiful in an obvious way...she's just so...so...insufferable...and stubborn."  
"Perhaps she reminds you of yourself sire." Merlin replied and soon felt the pillow colliding with the back of his head once more.  
"I am not insufferable...or stubborn." Arthur replied indignantly. He exhaled dramatically once more. "I noticed you took an immediate interest in her...gawping open mouthed as if you'd forgotten how to use your nose to breathe."  
"I was not..." Merlin interjected. "...Was I? And I was merely curious as to where she came from. After all, we do search the forest quite thoroughly on hunting trips, and we never once before saw her...it's just odd."  
"Are you really that distrusting of her when we've only just met her?" Arthur chuckled. "Besides, stick to your own league, eh?"  
"Well look at the last beautiful woman who entranced you..." Merlin pointed out - decidedly ignoring the second statement - as he closed the prince's wardrobe.  
"_She_ did not _entrance_ me...it was merely...a lapse of sanity." Arthur argued.  
Merlin snickered to himself but Arthur noticed and raised an eyebrow. Merlin chuckled harder. "And you say you're not stubborn." He laughed.  
"Thank you,_ Merlin_." Arthur silenced him with one death glare. "That will be all...good night."  
Merlin nodded still with a smirk on his face. "Goodnight sire." He blew out the candles and prepared to leave the room but Arthur's voice stopped him.  
"And Merlin, if you ever speak of this conversation again, I will have you put in the stocks." Merlin knew - even in the dark - that his master would have a devilish look upon his features.  
Merlin opened the door and let himself out. "Naturally." He mused to himself as he wandered back to his own chambers.

The pale spectral orb illuminated the city in an unearthly hue as faint clouds skated across the midnight sky. The city was silent, apart from the steady footfalls of the guards on patrol, their armour glinting majestically in the moonlight. Torches illuminated the gates and sentry houses in bright amber light as the guards struggled to keep their eyes open, their lids slowly becoming heavier and their breathing becoming slower and deeper.  
Adriana chuckled as she watched them, she had discovered that she liked to watch people since she had been in Camelot, she did not have many visitors to interact with when was in her forest hut. She was perched in a cart of hay which was out of view from the guards, her knees tucked under her chin and her cloak wrapped around her to keep warm. She lay backwards and stared at the sky, the moonlight glinting in her eyes. The sky was so much more beautiful from her home, there no turrets and flags to block her view and the sound of armour clanking as the guards marched did not disrupt the peace; yet she continued to watch the stars winking innocently from the midnight blue canvas. She did not know when she fell asleep, but the rhythm of footsteps kept a steady beat which grew quieter and quieter until it was no more and the darkness encapsulated her.

Adriana awoke with a start, the earth was moving. The cart was rattling and she sat up hurriedly only to realise that a horse was pulling the trap in which she had been sleeping in, the owner obviously not realising she had been tucked under the hay for warmth. Adriana slid herself to the edge of the cart and hopped down, stumbling around precariously as her feet touched the ground before she regained her balance. She pulled the hay she could find from her hair and dusted her clothes down before walking back towards the main castle to where Gaius' chambers were. She had fully intended on heading back there the previous night and had not meant to fall asleep in the back of the cart but she did. As she entered the courtyard she found it was pandemonium.  
The servants were putting up the remaining decorations for the King's celebrations that evening and she recognised a cocoa skinned maid in the crowd. Gwen, she recalled her name.  
Adriana walked towards her, Gwen was at that moment loading up baskets with flowers and did not see the raven haired young woman.  
"Do you need any help?" Adriana offered as she smiled.  
Gwen smiled. "Yes please, we have to take all these inside and arrange them on the tables for when the nobles arrive."  
Adriana picked up two baskets of babies breath and lavender before following after Gwen who was carrying two baskets of yellow and red roses - the colours of the Pendragon crest Adriana realised.

Inside the castle was just as chaotic as the courtyard, with servants rushing around like headless chickens carrying everything from linens to flagons of mulled wine. Adriana continued to follow after Gwen and she was soon presented with the royal dining hall in all its glory. Adriana gawped unashamed as she saw the banners which hung from the walls, the immaculately arranged flowers that were already in place on the head table. Candles were ready to be lit as they stood in the candelabras upon the tables, at that moment rays of sun streamed in through the high windows and bathed the room in golden light.  
"Everything looks so...shiny." Adriana breathed as she set her baskets down on the nearest table of empty vases alongside Gwen's.  
Gwen smiled. "We have been working non stop since the break of dawn to get everything ready."  
"It's a shame that no one will think to thank you all for the work you've done. Because it really is amazing." Adriana replied as she tried to arrange the flowers in the vase.  
"Here, take some roses. It will look too pale if we only put lavender and babies breath in the vases." Gwen said and traded one of her own baskets with one of Adriana's.  
Adriana smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I'm not very good at feminine things such as flower arranging. I'm probably going to cause more work for you."  
"It's alright, you can't be good at everything." Gwen smiled warmly as she showed Adriana what to do. "What do you like doing?"  
Adriana blushed. "Not what I expect young ladies ought to like doing."  
"I like sword craft. Comes from being a blacksmiths daughter." Gwen offered. "And I detest embroidery." She grinned.  
"Well I like horse-riding. I like to explore the forest and the mountains nearby." Adriana paused for a moment before smiling. "And I hate dancing as I have two left feet...in everything I seem to do actually I can be very accident prone." Gwen looked skeptical and Adriana continued. "No honestly, I can manage to trip over flat surfaces...I think that is a whole other level of clumsy."  
Gwen laughed and took charge of the vases. "You should go and see Gaius. I can take care of the rest of these."  
"Are you sure?" Adriana asked. "I'm more than happy to stay."  
"I fear you might show me your accident prone side and break the vases." Gwen laughed.  
"Aha, good idea. I should go now." Adriana smiled and left the hall leaving Gwen to finish arranging the flowers whilst chuckling to herself.

"Arthur?" King Uther stood at the window watching the courtyard below.  
"Yes sire?" The prince straightened and addressed his father.  
"Who is the young maiden you brought back to Camelot yesterday?" Uther watched Adriana from the confines of his chambers.  
Arthur seemed taken aback and stepped to the window. "She lives in the forest. Gaius is a close friend of hers."  
"She is quite...striking." Uther mused. "Almost ethereally so."  
"Are you implying she has magic father?" Arthur asked.  
"It just seems strange that she is almost elf-like in her appearance. Perhaps she is not all she seems. We know appearances can be deceptive." Uther looked darkly upon the young maiden before she disappeared from his view.  
"Morgana is very beautiful and yet she does not posses magic." Arthur replied naively.  
"Indeed. But Morgana is a woman of nobility. It runs in her blood." Uther replied. "Yet this girl is a peasant, you say?"  
"Yes sire, but nobility are not the only beautiful ones."  
Uther turned to his son. "Indeed, and after all, you wouldn't bed so many of them if they did not catch your eye."  
The young prince was embrassed by his father's scalding but he dare not let it show. "If you will excuse me sire, I have to see to the guard for this evening."  
"You are excused." Uther waved him away.  
Arthur gave a shallow bow and left hurriedly.


End file.
